


A meeting of utmost importance

by Parasite_Satellite



Category: Fortnite (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Backstory, Bonding, F/F, First Meetings, Flirting, Fluff, Headcanon, It runs in the family I guess, Jules and Midas are siblings, Jules is a dork, Jules is a lesbian, Magic Powers, Useless Lesbians, Wholesome
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-13
Updated: 2021-03-13
Packaged: 2021-03-21 15:15:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 11,170
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30023745
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Parasite_Satellite/pseuds/Parasite_Satellite
Summary: While attending a meeting in Hunter’s Haven, Jules becomes smitten with one of the hunters. A jungle warrior by the name of Mave. Jules want’s to get closer to her, but can she do that without turning into a flustered mess? Short answer: No.
Relationships: Jules/Mave (Fortnite), Midas/Zoey (Mentioned) (Fortnite)
Comments: 1
Kudos: 5





	1. Bombshell

An explosion of fireworks outside her window woke Jules up in fright. Moving her hair from out of her eyes, she turned to the window to see a vast array of explosives colours dancing in the distance. "Fucking hell," Jules muttered as she rubbed her eyes while containing a yawn. "Do they go all out every year?" Though Jules considered herself to be a party-goer, she didn't feel bothered to attend to New Years Eve party. The work she has in Shadow has been overwhelming in the last few weeks. It doesn't help that they're the leader. Firstly she has to fill in paperwork concerning recent developments of new projects next week, and she has a meeting scheduled with Ocean and Agent Jonsey of the IO tomorrow. 

Agent Jonsey, Jules remembered that day like it was yesterday when he appeared into their world with bounty hunters and IO guards, with the mission to keep everyone inside the loop. Jules didn't know much about the meeting she was going to be attending tomorrow. All she knew was Agent Jonsey was going to discuss plans on having Ghost and Shadow work for the IO to help keep people inside the loop and maybe show off the bounty hunters he brought to their world. Jules wasn't sure. The only bounty hunter she knew was Lexa, and that was because Skye befriended her. The rest were a mystery to her. 

The sound of a mechanical squawk snapped Jules out of her thoughts. Looking to her left, she saw Ohm in a panicked state, flapping his wings in the air while emitting a low panicked squawk. "Ohm? What's wrong, buddy?" Jules questioned as she hopped out of her bed and slowly walked to her pet. A bang and a flash of the fireworks outside made Ohm squawk louder, his wings still flapping. Jules put two and two together, resting her hand on his head while shushing him in reassurance. "It's alright, Ohm. It's just the fireworks outside. They're not going to hurt you or me." Ohm looked towards his creator, his wings slowly moving to a halt while making a mechanical chirp. "As long as I'm here, you're safe, ok?" 

"Chirp, chirp," Ohm replied in a sing-song tune. He snuggled close to Jules for comfort, slightly jumping at the sound of another firework going off.

"Do you want me to adjust the volume on your hearing so they won't scare you as much?" Jules questioned as one of her hands began to trace around the volume button. A hoot and a nod from Ohm gave Jules the answer she needed. Without hesitating, she grabbed onto the knob and began twisting it away from her. "Sleep tight, Ohm," Jules whispered close to him. "We got a big day tomorrow, so get plenty of rest, alright." 

"Chirp," Ohm replied in a sleepy tone, his eyes slowly closed before moving into a comfortable position on his porch. 

"Goodnight, Ohm," Jules smiled. Once she was sure that Ohm was fast asleep, she walked away from him and towards the curtains, pulling them closed, leaving her in complete darkness. A yawn escaped her lips as they snuggled back into bed, her eyes slowly fluttering to a close. "Happy new year," She muttered to herself, letting her mind drift into slumber. From the looks of things, 2021 might be her best year yet. For one, she's the new leader of Shadow, sure being the leader can be stressful at times. But it feels nice being in control of something that used to control you. What else was that she had the chance to live a peaceful life with her brother. The war between Ghost and Shadow was over, and Midas is no longer the leader of Ghost. The two don't have to worry about people hurting them anymore. Jules smiled, excited for the future ahead of her. 

*Beep, Beep, Beep!*

The sound of her notifications going off made Jules open her eyes wide. Her eyebrows pulled down while her eyes gave a glare into the darkness. "You have got to be kidding me." She thought to herself, pulling the colourful duvet off her body, her hand reaching to her phone on the bedside table. "I thought I left it on silence." Opening up her mobile, Jules saw a text message from her best friend, Spark Plug. Attached to the text was a five-second video. "Why is Spark Plug texting me in the middle of the night?" Jules thought to herself, opening up the text. Nothing could prepare her for what she was about to see. The video attached was from the New Years party in Lazy Lake, there she saw Midas drunkenly dancing with Zoey. The two taking a break to kiss before dancing again. 

"Why didn't you tell us? Did you know?" Spark Plug's message appeared below the video as Jules continued to watch it, her eyes growing wide while her eyebrows raised. 

A second later, Jules received another text, this time from Sunbird. Just like Spark Plug, her message had a video attached to it. It was Zoey and Midas' dance from a different angle. "Bro, Midas is wasted! LOL!" The text reads under the video. Jules couldn't help but watch as tons of messages and videos began to pop up on her phone. Every single video was of Zoey and Midas either dancing or kissing. One by one, Jules read the texts. 

"Midas has a girlfriend, what?!"

"Who's the girl dancing with your brother? Do you know her?"

"Holy shit Midas has a girlfriend!"

"Can't believe the first big news story of the year is Midas getting a girlfriend."

"Wait. Is that Zoey?!"

The straw that broke the camel's back for Jules was a message she got from her frenemy, Freestyle. The text, short, but infuriating. It simply read; "How does it feel knowing your brother got pussy before you?" 

All Jules can do at that moment was cover her face with her pillow as she let out a surprised yet frustrated scream. "Midas, what the fuck!"


	2. The Long Drive

"Hey, Jules, are you feeling ok?" Ocean asked, turning her head away from the window to look at her friend. 

Jules gazed at Ocean, slowly blinking as she answered in an almost monotone voice. "Yeah, I'm fine." The truth was she wasn't ok. Dark circles covered her eyes, and some small pieces of her hair were sticking out in unusual places. Jules had trouble sleeping last night both the fireworks and the news of her brother's relationship kept her up through the night. Jules looked back to Ocean as she absent-mindlessly stroked Ohm's head while she laid back into the limo seats. The material was soft to the touch. "I want to get this meeting over with, ok. I got more important things to do."

"Like what?" Ocean questioned again, laying into the seats like Jules.

"Training the agents, paperwork. You know that kind of stuff." Jules lied, her eyes turning away from Ocean and into a reflection of herself in the limo's minibar. Jules began to fix up her hair, putting her braids back into their usual neat style. 

"Didn't you do all that stuff last week?"

"Yeah, but I'm doing it again. Better to be safe than sorry." 

"No wonder you look so exhausted, Jules. You got to take a break every once in a while." A chuckle escaped her lips. "You're just like your brother. When he was the leader, it was common to see him overwork to exhaustion."

The mention of her brother almost made Jules jump out of her seat. Once she finished tidying up her braids, she reached out to the small minibar and picked out a drink. Jules gazed at the mountains in the distance before speaking, trying to keep a level head. "Is that so?" 

"Yeah," Ocean replied, still looking at Jules. "You'd be surprised over the number of times the agents found him sleeping at his desk. I think Skye has some pictures if you want to see them. Hey, speaking of Midas, did you hear the news?" 

Jules bit her lower lip. She knew where this conversation was going to go. She moved her head away from the window, taking a sip of her drink while Ocean continued to talk.

"He's dating someone, not just anyone, but Zoey. Can you believe it? They caught them dancing and kissing at the New Year's party last night. I'm still in shock over it. Rumors have it that the two went home together."

Jules choked on her drink. Both in reaction to her friend's words and the sudden motion of the limo driving over a pothole. Jules coughed while Ohm made some mechanical noises of reassurance at his creator and friend. Her eyes darted to the drink and Ocean. She coughed out in a choked tone. "Damm, these potholes." Jules looked back to Ocean to see her trying to hold in a chuckle. "What's so funny?"

"Jules. Your trousers."

Looking down at her legs, Jules gasped when she noticed that she spilt her drink on her clothes. Dark splatters began to appear near her knees. "You have got to be kidding me," She grumbled as her free hand darted to her pocket, taking out some tissue paper and dabbing it on her trousers in an attempt to remove most of the liquid. "These were my good pair as well."

Ocean giggled, handing Jules some more tissue paper. "Good pair? Jules, they got marks on them," she disputed when she pointed to an old oil stain mark near one of the pockets.

"I'm an engineer we're aren't know to have clean clothes. The majority of the time, I'm outside building and fixing things." 

"Guess a shopping trip is in order then. After the meeting, do you want to get some clothes with me? I need some new shirts myself."

Jules finished cleaning the stains on her trousers. She put the tissues away before lying to Ocean again. "Thanks, but I don't have any money on me."

"No money?" Ocean raised an eyebrow. "That's a lie, and you know it. What is going on, Jules? You're acting differently."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, you're not as talkative as you typically are. It seems like you got something on your mind, whenever I mention Midas, you shut done, or you get all huffy." A smirk began to grow on her face, her eyes narrowing. "Oh, I see what's going on now."

"What are you talking about?"

"You're jealous that Midas got into a relationship before you." 

Jules glared at Ocean, moving the drink away from her. She objected to Ocean's statement. "What? No, I'm not."

"You sure?"

"Yes. I mean, sure, it's annoying that Midas has been in more relationships than me, but that's just because he's a hopeless romantic."

"Who else has he been with?"

"Well, from what I can recall, he's been with-" Jules started to count on her fingers, recalling Midas' exes in order. "Chaos Agent, Sorana, Redux and Siren." 

"That's it?"

"What do you mean, that's it?"

"It's just the way you worded it. It seemed like he had more." Ocean leaned over to the minibar and grabbed a drink for herself. "What about you? How many people have you dated?"

Jules mumbled an incoherent answer as her hand went back to stroke Ohm. The bird chirping from the physical affection she gave him. 

"What was that?" Ocean questioned. "I didn't quite hear that."

"Lynx," Jules replied with an annoyed tone. "I've only dated Lynx. It only lasted for two months." 

"So you are jealous." 

"I never said that."

"Still, that must be annoying. Have you gone back in the dating field?"

"I tried, but I'm not good with romance. It's like oil and water for me."

Ocean smiled, placing a reassuring hand on Jules back. She comforted her friend with a friendly voice. "I get what you're saying, to tell you the truth, it isn't easy for me either. Just focus on being yourself, and you'll find someone who will love you for you. I mean, look at you, your the leader of Shadow, you're covered in tattoos, and you're not afraid to get your hands dirty. They sound like attractive qualities for a woman to have."

Jules smiled at her friends' words. She looked down at the tattoos that covered her arms. All in various shades of grays and purples. "Yeah, I'm pretty hot." She grinned.

"Confidence is also an attractive feature. If you get yourself out there and show off your qualities, you'll get a girlfriend in no time."

The two girls grinned at one another as the limo continued its journey towards Hunter's Haven.


	3. Welcome to Hunter's Haven!

Hunter's Haven was one of the newest locations to arrive at Apollo if you exclude the crystal desert. Located between Lazy Lake and Weeping Woods, The IO designed it as a safe haven for the bounty hunters. Around the area were modern-looking houses, each catering to each of the hunters. Mostly heirlooms and culture pieces from their home-world. It's a secluded area. The only people who ventured into Hunter's Haven were the hunters and people invited by Agent Jonesy for meeting purposes. 

Ocean, Jules and Ohm looked out their windows to see the houses that came up in their view, built into the cliffs and walls, painted in a clear, white coat. The two were taken aback by the appearance and modern style of the houses. They looked so fancy compared to the other homes on Apollo. 

"Wow," Ocean whispered as she finished up her drink. "I wish I got these kinds of houses when I joined Ghost."

"Same here," Jules sighed, staring at one of the houses. The memories of Shadow started to pour inside her head. She recalled when Chaos Agent used to be the leader. Instead of homes, they had small 4 X 4 bedrooms to call their own. Jules shuddered when the memory of her old Shadow bedroom popped into her head. Those were not pleasant memories to her or the other Shadow agents. It's a good thing that things have changed since Jules became leader. Such as implementing better living conditions for her agents and splitting the funds equally instead of investing it all in useless experiments that benefit no one. "They remind me of those fancy neighborhoods you see in Hollywood movies."

"Hoot," Replied Ohm. His wings flapped in reaction to the view out the window. 

"Easy boy," Jules smiled, gently poking his back. "We're here for a meeting. We need to be on our best behavior for today. Can you do that for me?" 

The mechanical owl turned away to look at Jules before replying in a cheerful chirp, causing Ocean and Jules to chuckle sweetly.

The limo pulled to a stop right in the center of Hunter's Haven. Jules and Ocean looked ahead to see the limo driver looking back at them. "End of the line, ladies," He announced to the two, slightly tipping his hat. "From what Agent Jonesy has told me, the meeting's only going to last for an hour, so-" He stopped talking to gaze at his watch. "I'll pick you two up before midday, ok."

"Sounds good to us," Ocean smiled, placing her empty bottle on top of the minibar. "Thanks for the lift, sir."

The limo driver responded with a nod of his head before leaving the driver seat to open up the door for the two women. 

Jules took a breath, observing the area around her. A smile grew on her face as she inhaled the mountain air. The only thing they could hear was the sounds of birds singing in the distance. "Woah," She breathed. "Now, this is class. I should have been a bounty hunter instead of an engineer."

Ohm perched himself on Jules' shoulder, the silver bird making an offending mechanical noise in response to her statement. 

"I'm kidding, Ohm," Jules chuckled, tickling the bird under their chin. "I can't imagine my life without you. Though this place does look like it has some nice perks." Ohm, made another annoying noise, causing Jules to laugh. 

"Glad you like it. Took a while to get everything in order."

Ocean and Jules turned around in reaction to the voice behind them. Standing behind them was Agent Jonesy. He wore a crooked smile as he reached his hand out to shake Ocean's. 

"Nice to finally meet you two in person," He chuckled, shaking Ocean's hand. "You must be the leader of Ghost, Ocean, correct?"

"The one and only." Ocean smiled, talking in her usual professional tone. "It's nice to meet you, sir."

"Same here. From what I've seen, you're a pretty good leader. Want to join the IO after you retire from Ghost?" Agent Jonesy joked, pulling away from Ocean's hand to adjust his red tie.

"I'm good, thanks. I'm loyal to Ghost and Ghost alone." 

"Fair enough." He reached his hand out to Jules and began shaking hers. His voice shifted in tone. "Ah, Jules, I've read up about you. Nice to finally meet you in person."

Jules was almost taken aback by Agent Jonesy's words. She replied, trying to keep a professional tone. "You've read about me?"

"Yes, we have files on you and your brother back at the IO."

"Is that a good thing?"

"Not really." The two pulled away. Jules noticed that Agent Jonesy was avoiding eye contact with her. Instead, he was looking to the side. Before Jules could react, Agent Jonesy gazed at Jules, speaking again, now more casually. "Funny enough, I met your brother not too long ago. He was quite the character."

Jules smirked, sighing as she spoke to him. "You know, funny enough, a lot of people say he acts just like our mother, Professor Selene. I don't know if you heard of her?"

She watched Agent Jonesy's expression changed. His eyes grew wide, and his mouth opened slightly. A surprised chuckle escaped his lips. He exclaimed in response. "Your Selene's kids? Wow, well, I knew she had children, but I didn't realize it was you two." He took a step closer, gazing at her face. "Now that I'm looking closer, I can see the resemblance. Shame I never met her, from what I heard, she was quite the genius." 

Jules took a step back and gestured to The Zero Point in the distance. She verified with pride. "Well, it's true. The Athena island wouldn't have existed if it wasn't for her and the other scientists."

Agent Jonesy looked away, only staring at Ohm. His smile faded. "That's one way to look at it." He clapped his hands together, his smile quickly returning. "I think we've wasted enough time talking about our lives. Now come on, ladies, we've got a meeting to attend." Without a second to spare, Agent Jonesy turned around and started walking to one of the houses close to them. Jules and Ocean looked at one another before following Agent Jonesy from behind. Ohm jumped off of Jules' shoulder and flew ahead of the two. 

"So," Ocean started, placing her hands behind her back. "What do you have plans for us? I mean, we know it's related to The Zero Point, but is there anything else your not telling us?"

Agent Jonsey glanced at Ocean for a second, giving her a quick smirk before answering her question in a formal tone. "Not a lot, but I do want to discuss Ghost and Shadow possibly working with the IO in means of weapon advancements and other miscellaneous things."

"Like keeping people inside the loop?"

"Exactly, I can't stress enough how dangerous it is to leave the loop. My main goal is the keep everyone on Apollo safe and to prevent another break in the system."

While Ocean and Agent Jonesy talked to one another, Jules' mind began to wonder as she stared out into the sky ahead of her. Their voices grew muffled while a thousand thoughts bubbled in Jules' head. It felt nice to go slow and admire the new location around her. Even if it only lasted for a few minutes. Jules started to walk slower, thinking about the upcoming meeting and questioning if she might be able to meet these mysterious hunters. Probably not. They might be too busy with their bounties. Fingers crossed that the meeting won't drag. 

*Thud*

Before Jules could react, she found herself stumbling back first into the dirt ground below her. Did she walk into a wall? They rubbed the back of her head for relief. Today just wasn't her day. "Goddammit," Jules muttered under her breath, opening her eyes and looking up to see what she hit. Her jaw almost dropped from the sight in front of her. There, standing in front of Jules, was a woman she had never seen before. She had a muscular build with tattoos adorning her right arm. She wore revealing tribal warrior clothing. What caught Jules' eyes was the women's hair. It was a mix of white, red and turquoise. For a second, nobody spoke. Jules was too entranced by the stranger's fire coloured eyes. 

"Jules, are you alright?" 

Jules snapped out of her trance when she heard Ocean's voice calling out to her. She turned her head to see Agent Jonesy and Ocean running up to her while Ohm flew next to them. He also made a concerned chirping noise.

Jules looked back to the stranger, speaking in a panicked tone. "Oh, my," She sputtered out. "Please excuse me. I'm sorry for running into you. I didn't mean to I wasn't paying attention to anything and-"

Before Jules could finish rambling her apology, the stranger smiled, reaching her hand out to grab one of Jules' hands, pulling her up from the ground with force. Jules was almost taken aback by how strong the woman was. Despite standing straight, Jules still looked up to the stranger. She was tall. Jules barely reached up to the woman's shoulders. In a flustered state, Jules moved her head down, her eyes looking to the ground. Jules watched the weapon in the stranger's spare hand shifted, the tip of the sword placed under the edge of her chin. The gentle force caused Jules to tilt her head back up to meet the stranger's face once more. She watched as a smile grew on the lady's face, her eyes slowly moving up and down, gazing at Jules. 

"It's alright," The woman's voice was as sweet as honey and delicate as a feather. It was almost a whisper. Jules could feel her heart beating faster when the stranger stared deep into her eyes. "Darling." The lady pulled her sword away from Jules' chin and started to walk away from her. 

"Ah, I see you've met Mave," Agent Jonesy smiled, walking next to Jules. "She's one of the hunters I've hired for this job. I found her in one of the many jungle realities. She's one of the strongest warriors they had to offer."

"I see," Jules murmured, staring at Mave as she walked towards to training area.

"Jules, are you sure you're ok?" Ocean questioned with a more concerning tone. Ohm chirped, looking between the two girls. "You didn't hit your head or anything?"

Ocean watched Jules slowly turned her head towards her. Her cheeks shinned in crimson red. "I'm fine." Jules squeaked.


	4. Cultural exchange

"Well, that meeting went better than expected." Agent Jonesy clapped his hands together, walking out of the building with a spring in his step, followed closely by Jules and Ocean. Who were walking at a much slower pace.

The meeting only lasted for an hour, but to Jules, it felt like an eternity. She tried to focus on the conference, but her mind kept wandering back to Mave. The warrior hunter she bumped into earlier. Her eyes still sent shivers down Jules' spine. "It's alright, darling," Her voice played in repeat in her head. The soft and delicate tone made her heart beat faster. She shook her head. Why was Jules getting this flustered? Was it because Mave called her 'darling'? Jules can't remember the last time someone said that to her. 

Jules snapped out of her thoughts when she heard Agent Jonesy speak to her and Ocean. "Just got off the phone," he announced. "Driver's in the middle of a traffic jam, so it looks like you ladies are going to be here for a while. Is that ok?"

"Yeah, that's fine," Ocean replied with a smile. "I'm sure Jules and I will find something to pass the time." Ocean turned to look at Jules. She almost gasped when she saw how flustered Jules looked. Before she could ask Jules what's up, Agent Jonesy clapped his hands together again.

"Wonderful," He started. "Well, there isn't much you can do here. The only thing you can do is talk to the hunters," Ocean noticed Jules' cheeks turning a deeper shade of red when Agent Jonesy mentioned them. "Though out of the seven, only three of them are here today: Lexa, Konder and Mave, who you've already met." A chuckle escaped his lips, not noticing that Jules' face was now as red as a cherry. "While I would love to stay and get to know you two more, I've got some serious things to look at for work. I don't want Ramirez to kill me again. I'll see you in the foreseeable future." And with that, Agent Jonsey started walking back to the house, giving a quick wave to Jules and Ocean before leaving them.

"See you around, Jonesy," Ocean waved back to Agent Jonesy, the smile fading from her face. Once he was gone from her sight, Ocean walked close to Jules placing a hand on her shoulder. She spoke in a caring tone. "Jules' what's wrong?"

"Huh?" Jules shook her head again, the red fading from her face. Ohm flew towards Jules, purchasing himself on her other shoulder. He whistled a worried tune while Jules responded to Ocean. "What do you mean?"

"What I mean is during the meeting, you seemed out of it. You've bearly made a peep. That's so unlike you."

"Yeah, I'm ok. My mind has just been focusing on something else."

"Like what? What could be more important than a meeting with Agent Jonesy?"

Jules could feel her throat turning dry, trying to answer Ocean's question. She could feel her cheeks growing hot again. "I don't know why, but I can't stop thinking about earlier when I bumped into Mave. I can't wait to see that added into the collection of embarrassing memories in my head."

Ocean's smile returned when she tried to conceal a giggle. She chirped. "Oh right, that was pretty funny. I've never seen you that flustered before." Ocean stopped. Her eyes grew wide as her smile turned into a smirk. "Oh, I see what's going on."

"What are you talking about?" Jules questioned, her eyes darting between Ohm and Ocean. 

"I'm saying that you got a type, and it's Mave."

Jules could feel her soul leave her body in reaction to Ocean's words. Ohm emitted a whistled tune while she fiddled with her thumbs. "Wha-No!" Jules objected. "Mave isn't my type."

"Then why were you staring at her after you bumped into her?"

"No reason! I just thought she looked..."

"Yeah?" Ocean motioned for Jules to continue. 

"...Pretty."

The sound of Ocean erupting in laughter almost made Jules jump at the sound. Ohm flapped his wings in reaction to his creator's sudden movements, muttering a few squawks in the process. "Oh, my goodness. I can't believe it." Ocean snorted as her laughter died down. "You've got the hots for the warrior Queen."

"Oi, keep it down." Jules hissed, putting her gloved hand over Ocean's mouth. "Why would you think that?"

Ocean pulled Jules' hand away from her mouth. A wicked grin plastered on her face. "Because you ain't denying it. Look at you. You're as red as a tomato." 

Ohm uttered a couple of hoots as Jules covered her face with her hand, a groan escaping her lips. "Look." Jules began. "Just because I find her, well, cute-" Ocean noticed Jules struggling to utter the word, 'cute'. "That doesn't mean I want to ask her out."

"Strange, I never said that you wanted to ask her out. I only mentioned you finding her hot."

Jules wanted to die at the moment. She wanted to curl up in a ball and let the earth below consume her. Her thoughts came to a stop when she felt Ocean's hand on her shoulder. "It's ok, Jules. It's normal to find people charming. That's why some people date cause they find the other person attractive." Ocean reassured her friend. "So, you going to ask her out?"

Jules jumped away from Ocean in surprise. The sudden movement caused Ohm to flap his wings with a hoot. Jules stammered while twiddling her thumbs. "I-what-I. Wait-I can't ask her out."

"Why not? You obviously like her."

"Just because I like her, that doesn't mean that she likes me."

"How do you know? From what I can recall, she stared at you for just as long. Now that I think about it, didn't she call you 'darling'?" Ocean grinned, watching Jules' reaction to the phrase.

"Yeah, but I still won't do it. I'm a stranger to her."

"You don't have to be. Agent Jonsey said we might be here for a while. So, how about you use that time to spend with Mave, so you can get to know her and ask her out."

Jules took a deep breath, looking between Ocean and Ohm. Her cheeks returned to their regular shade. She sighed, rubbing the back of her neck. "I guess it wouldn't hurt to say hi to her."

"That's the spirit, Jules." Ocean squealed from her friend's words. Before Jules could react, Ocean grabbed onto Jules' hand and started making her way towards the Hunter's Haven training area. 

"Hey. Where are we going?"

"Where do you think? You're going to meet Mave."

Jules felt the butterflies grow in her stomach as Ocean dragged her away towards the training area. 

The two girls and Ohm gazed behind a tree to see Mave standing in the training grounds. Next to her, where a pile of axes. Jules watched with intensity as Mave picked up one of the axes and chucked it towards the target in front of her. Jules' eyes followed the axe flying in the air and landing in the center of the target. Her eyes gazed back to Mave, watching her smile while she wiped her forehead with her hand. 

"Woah!" Ocean whispered, looking to the axes. "Do you think she can teach me how to axe throw? I've always wanted to do that. It's so cool." 

"Yeah, she's pretty cool-I-uh-I mean, yeah, it's a cool sport." Jules sputtered out, quickly catching herself on her words.

Ocean giggled at her friend's words causing Jules to nudge her in the arm. Ocean spoke to her in a whispered hush. "Well, what are you waiting for, Jules? She's right there."

"But what do I say?"

"Wow, and you call yourself a genius," Ocean teased while Jules glared at her. "Talk to her, get to know a few things about her, and when you feel comfortable to do so, ask her out. Don't worry, Ohm and I will be right here to cheer you on. You got this."

Ohm gave a hoot of reassurance to Jules before she started walking towards Mave. 

Jules looked back to her friends as she slowly made her way closer by the second. "I got this," Jules repeated in her head. "How hard can it be? Granted, I never asked out anyone before. But if Lynx, Midas and everyone can do it, I could too." She was now a few centimetres away from her. "But how do they do it? Midas probably acts all smooth while saying a couple of pick up lines. That's a great idea. I'll use pick up lines." Her smile grew wider when she thought about what to say. "Well, here I am. What are your other two wishes? No, that's too much. I need something more casual. Are you an angel? Cause heaven called, and they're missing one. No, that won't work. I'm so close now. I'll use a pickup line that isn't cheesy or creepy. I can do that."

"Hey," Mave smirked, turning her head towards Jules, who was now standing next to her.

"Hi," Jules squeaked. She leaned by a wooden archery target next to her. Jules' face was growing redder by the second. "We haven't formally met. I'm Jules, the leader of Shadow." She reached her hand out to her. Jules almost gasped when Mave reached out her own hand to Jules, gently shaking it.

"Hello, Jules," She spoke in a soft tone. "That's a beautiful name. I'm Mave, the Wildheart."

Jules' legs nearly gave way when Mave called her name beautiful. She looked to the ground when she noticed that she was staring into Mave's eyes again. Jules saw a bunch of pink eagle feathers on the floor. A mechanical hoot not too far from her gave Jules the courage to look back to Mave, who was still smiling at her. "Mave is a nice name. Hey, are you a flower? because you look like a rose." Jules mentally slapped herself when she realized what she said out loud. 

"A rose?" Mave questioned with a curious look on her face.

"It's a flower. Here on Apollo, we compare beautiful things to flowers. What kind of flowers did you have back home?" Jules watched Mave put a finger to her lips, tilting her head while thinking of her home.

Mave stared back at Jules, answering with a grin. "Back home, we have a flower called 'The Moon-Bloom' flower. It's roughly the size of my hand." She placed her hand out to show Jules. "There are two characteristics of the Moon-Bloom that makes it stand out compared to the other flowers. One is their eye-catching blue colour. The second is that it's carnivorous. It can devour their prey within seconds."

"Oh, wait, that's pretty cool," Jules found herself relaxing as she continued to talk. "How does it catch its prey?"

"Simple, the Moon-Bloom is attached to multiple vines. It uses them as arms, grabbing its prey in the air and forcing it inside its body. The results can be pretty gory."

"Awesome. You know we have a carnivorous plant ourselves. It's called the Venus Flytrap."

"Fascinating. I'm guessing by the name it eats flies." 

"Yeah, but it can also eat spiders and other kinds of small bugs. It's green, and it has a little mouth with spikes. Once a bug gets close, it snaps itself shut, eating the bug." 

"Impressive. Apollo never ceases to amaze me, every day, I find something incredible here, but today I found two."

"Yeah, Flytraps are pretty unique plants." At that moment, Jules stared into Mave's eyes again. Jules blushed from the sight, and butterflies started dancing in her stomach. In a panic, Jules' eyes darted to the pile of axes next to Mave. "Oh. I'm sorry, did I interrupt your axe throwing thing?"

"Oh no, you didn't interrupt anything. I was going to take a break anyway. Have you ever thrown an axe before?"

"Actually, no, I haven't. It looks fun. Can I have a go?"

"I don't see why not," Mave answered, gesturing to the pile of axes. "I want to see what the leader of Shadow is capable of." 

A flustered laugh escaped Jules' lips when she went to pick up one of the axes, never looking away from Mave, who was still smirking at her. Jules grunted, struggling to lift the battle-axe. She underestimated how heavy this was going to be. Mave made it look so easy. Jules turned to the target in the distance. She noticed that her arms were shaking from the weight they held. 

"Here, let me help you," Mave smiled, standing behind Jules and holding onto both her hands, helping her with the weight of the axe. Jules could feel her knees slightly buckle from Mave's voice. "It's not about strength but rather a technique." Jules blushed a pink shade while Mave guided Jules hands and arms. "And throw." Jules watched as the axe flies into the sky, spinning once before landing straight into the center of the target. 

"I-I did it," Jules grinned from ear to ear. "I threw an axe. Well, that's one thing to check off the bucket list. Thanks." 

"No problem, I had fun teaching you." 

Jules' eyes darted away from Mave's face again, the butterflies in her stomach returning.

"Is everything alright?" Mave questioned, looking down on Jules. 

"Oh-umm, it's nothing I was-uh-looking at your tattoos," Jules answered with a stutter, pointing to the tattoos on Mave's arm. "They look nice. How long have you had them?"

"Only a year," Mave answered, flexing her arm showing off the tattoos. "Where I'm from, we call them 'markings'. We earn them when we become a Wildheart. They're a symbol of a mighty warrior. I'm guessing it's the same here." She gestured to the tattoos that adorned Jules' body. "Did you earn your markings, Jules?" 

Jules didn't know what to say. She liked Mave, and she didn't want to upset her because she didn't 'earn' her tattoos. Quickly her mind raced for an answer. "Yep," Jules blurted out without thinking. "Earned every single one of them. They don't just make anyone the leader of Shadow, you know. I may not look like it, but I'm quite a good fighter." 

"If that the case," Mave's voice grew louder, picking up one of the axes from the pile. "Jules," She aimed the axe at Jules. The blade was a few centimetres away from her nose. "I challenge you to a Wildheart duel." Her voice echoed around the training area. "By moon rise, you and I will put our skills to the test in combat. I want to see in person how you earned every one of your markings."

"Ok," Jules squeaked out, looking deep into her eyes.

"Hey, Mave," A feminine voice called out in the distance both Mave and Jules looked in the direction to see someone looking at them. It was Lexa, one of the hunter's Agent Jonesy hired. Lexa called out again, waving her hands in the air. "I need your help in lifting some things for me."

"I'll be right there," Mave called out. She started to walk away from Jules and towards Lexa. She stopped for a second to look back at Jules with a smirk. "Tonight, meet me outside Hunter's Haven. I can't wait to see your skills in action." 

"Yeah, can't wait," Jules whispered as Mave disappeared from her sight. Silence filled the air, and her mind was blank. Jules didn't know what to say or think. A second later, Ocean darted straight to Jules. Ohm emitted a few mechanical bird noises towards her. 

"Jules," Ocean shrieked with a panicked tone. "The plan was to ask her out, not fight to the death." 

Jules rubbed the back of her neck, her senses returning to her. She spoke. "I wasn't thinking. Look, I know I messed up but, I didn't want her to think less of me because I didn't earn my tattoos in combat."

"Oh, my goodness. Jules, what are you going to do?"

"I don't know. I can't fight Mave. Otherwise, I'll get my butt kicked."

"Didn't you beat up Chaos Agent?"

"Yes, but this is different. I wanted to hurt Chaos Agent. Plus, he's a skinny goop monster. Mave has muscles."

"Ok, let me think. The best thing you can do is go up to Mave and cancel the duel. I'm sure she'll understand."

Before Jules could speak, a honk in the distance caught the three's attention. Their limo was here. Ocean looked back to Jules, waiting to see what she has to say.

"I'll tell her tonight." Jules confided. "Before the duel."


	5. The Moonlight duel

The air was cold, and the sky was dark. The only source of light available came from the streetlamps and the full moon. The only sound heard was the crickets in the tall grass and the footsteps of a young woman. She walked towards Hunter's Haven with a hesitant step. Jules took a deep breath. When she got closer to the houses, she became both terrified and nervous about what she was going to face. Jules remembered the worried look on Ohm's face before they left the house, was her friends overreacting or was Jules underestimating the situation they were in right now. Jules couldn't tell. She concealed a yawn as she started to walk up the hill. "You'll be fine," Jules reassured herself. "All you got to do is talk to her, explain the situation, and you won't have to fight her." She sighed. "If I can talk to her, that is," The memories of earlier made Jules groan in embarrassment. 

When she reached the top of the grass-covered hill, Jules took another deep breath. The cold air was burning her throat. She nearly gasped when her eyes focused on the sight in front of her. There was Mave, sitting on a brick wall, staring out into the distance while humming a song Jules couldn't recognize. The full, silver moon behind her illuminated her beauty. 

"Here goes nothing," Jules muttered to herself, never taking her eyes off Mave. "All I have to do is not mess it up." She relaxed, calling out to her. "Hey, Mave. I'm here." 

Instantly, Mave turned her head to Jules, a smirk growing on her face. "Hey," Mave cooed, jumping off from the wall and walking to her. "Glad to see you. I thought you chickened out for a second." 

Jules could feel her cheeks burning from her words. She has to put this duel to an end before it can begin. Jules remembered what they planned to say to her. She repeated the phrase over in her head. "I'm sorry, Mave, but I won't fight you," Jules thought to herself, looking up at Mave. The moment she gazed into Mave's fire eyes, the butterflies in her stomach returned, and her thoughts became lost. Without thinking, she blurted out. "Yeah, can't wait."

"Then I guess we shouldn't waste our time here, follow me, the battlegrounds not too far from here," Mave smiled as she walked towards the battlegrounds ahead. Jules followed along while she mentally slapped herself. She took notice that the pink feathers from earlier laid on the ground around her. Where were they coming from anyway? Jules shook her head, following Mave closely while the stars started to shine in the sky. 

Walking towards the battlegrounds, Jules stopped thinking. Instead, she decided to use this moment to act more casual with Mave, if only for a few seconds. "So," Jules began, counselling another yawn. "What kind of weapons are we going to use? The axes? A bow and arrow? Or the classic swords?"

"No weapons," Mave replied in a gentle tone. "I don't know about you, but where I'm from when it comes to duels, we don't use weapons. Instead, we use our bodies for combat. The only thing you'll be using is your own two fists." 

"That sounds rough but exciting."

"You sure your up for it? No offence, but you sound exhausted, been busy training?" 

"Oh yeah, I just had a rough night, that's all."

"If that's the case, I'll guess I'll be gentle then." 

Jules couldn't help but blush harder at Mave's words. 

"Here we are," Mave announced, stopping in her tracks and gesturing to the small, empty land that surrounded the two. It was clear with a grass-covered ground. However, this grass seemed different compared to everything else on Apollo. It appeared thicker, and it had a minty hue to it. It seemed to smell like vanilla, which took Jules aback. "This is grass from my home-world," Mave explained, kneeling down and gently stroking the grass below her. "It's one of the softest plants know to my home."

Jules sighed. This whole thing has gone on for too long. She should have told Mave the moment she got here. Her mind went to think about what she should say to the elegant warrior. They fiddled with her thumbs while her head turned away. Though scared of what was to come, she knew this was the right thing to do. She closed her eyes. "Look, Mave." Jules announced. "I'm not a warrior. When I said I was a fighter, I meant that I fight more with my brains then my brawns. It wouldn't be a fair fight. So I'm sorry for lying. I'm not a fighter."

"I know."

Jules' eyes snapped open, looking back to see Mave staring at her. "What did you say?"

"Jules, I said that I know that you're not a fighter. I knew from the moment when you struggled to pick up an axe."

"Wait, if you knew that then, why did you challenge me to a duel in the first place?" Jules watched Mave slightly turn her head away from her for a second. She wasn't ready to hear what her response was. 

Mave looked back to Jules with a small smile. She answered. "Because I wanted to spend more time with you." 

A squeak escaped Jules' lips, her cheeks now red as strawberries. She covered her face in surprise. In a rush of emotions, Jules' blurted out. "So, we weren't going to fight after all?" It took Jules a second to realize what she said. She squeaked again in embarrassed frustration.

Mave chuckled at Jules' reaction. She replied to her question, standing up straight. "We could still duel if you want to. Though in you're case. We'll only play fight. Do you want to do that?"

Jules took a deep breath, calming herself down again. She watched as Mave stood in front of her. The look on Mave's face made her smile. "You know," Jules expressed, still fiddling with her thumbs. "I wouldn't mind if you taught me a few fighting techniques."

Mave chuckled. She asserted. "I would be my honor to show you the way of the Wildheart."

The two smiled at one another as they both prepared for the lesson ahead. 

"Step one," Mave began. "You need to be ready for anything. You got that, Jules?"

"Yeah, I got it." Jules smiled with a toothy grin.

"Step two, know what your opponent is capable of." 

Before Jules could react, she watched Mave's hair slowly start to transform into snakes. Jules's mouth hung open as she stared into the snake's yellow eyes, their bodies dancing in the air. "Woah!" Jules breathed.

"You're not scared, are you?" Mave questioned, her smile fading and her voice slightly softer.

"Your hair, that's so fucking cool." Jules let a surprised laugh, causing Mave's smile to return. "Mave, that's incredible. Weird question but, can you see out of the snakes' eyes?"

"Some things are better left a mystery. But I'll tell you this they're focusing on a gorgeous prey."

"So they're sentient. Wow, that sounds awesome."

Mave chuckled again, the two getting closer. "Step three, no hesitation." The two laughed as Mave gently lunged at Jules, sending them both falling towards the soft ground below.


	6. The Silver Maiden

Jules didn't know how long the two had been training for, it was hard to tell. The only thing she knew was that the moon was still shining high in the sky. The two walked back to Hunter's Haven side by side. Jules hid a giggle after Mave told her a joke about her home-world. 

"I must admit," Mave started to scratch the back of her head. "You're a pretty good fighter. I'm almost impressed."

Jules smirked, jokingly flexing out her arm muscles for emphasis. She laughed. "Well, someone had to save Midas from Chaos Agent. I couldn't stand by and let my brother get hurt by that monster."

"You're a good person. I can see why you became the leader of Shadow."

"Well, there were a lot of hurdles to go through, but it was worth it in the end." 

"I couldn't agree more. I can't imagine anyone else being the leader other than you."

The conversation ended when the two reached Mave's house. Jules took notice of the pond that surrounded Mave's home. The water seemed to glow in a heavenly blue hue while bubbles and pastel flower heads danced around the surface. Rocks and plants decorated the outside of the pond. It looked like something out of a fantasy setting. "It's beautiful," Jules breathed. "What's with all the fancy set up?" 

Mave walked towards the edge of the pond with a smile on her face. Mave talked in a whispered tone. "After training, I relax by soaking in the pond. The water is magical. It heals up minor injures and provides nutrients for the skin." She bent down, dipping one of her hands into the water. "Not to mention the flowers provide a celestial smell." She stared deep into her eyes. "Do you want to join me?"

Jules jumped in surprise at Mave's question. That was the last thing she expected to hear. She blushed and replied at a rapid pace. "Woah, wait! Well-I-Well, I would like to join you, but I don't any swimwear with me." 

Mave tilted her head, a line forming between the eyebrows in reaction to Jules words. Once she understood what she said. Mave's eyes grew wide, and a chuckle escaped her lips. "Oh, my apologies." Mave corrected. "I forgot that in your world, you have different clothes made for swimming. Where I'm from, the fabric on our clothes can combat any climate."

"So that means your outfit is waterproof?"

"Exactly, all of them are." She chucks Jules the keycard to her home. "If you still want to join me, I got some spare clothes in my room. I think there's one that's roughly in your size." Mave jumped into the bubbling water while Jules watched on. Mave bobbed her head out of the water and turned to Jules, noticing a slight pink colour in her cheeks.

"I'll be right back," Jules smiled, making a b-line towards Mave's front door. "Let me see what I can find."

Mave sighed with a smile. She laid by the side of the pond as she let the water consume her. She closed her eyes, relaxing in the ambient night. 

"I'm back." 

Mave opened her eyes when she heard Jules' voice. "That was quick," She thought to herself as she looked towards the direction of Jules' voice. Standing at the edge was Jules. She was wearing a sleeveless, baggy, knee-length, white dress. The only other thing that she was wearing was her engineering gloves. What caught Mave's eye was that Jules' hair was unbraided, letting her hair flow free. "Glad to see you found something. I see you're still wearing the gloves," Mave smiled, pointing to the gloves on Jules' hands.

Jules gazed at her gloves before looking back to Mave. "Oh yeah," Jules murmured. "Is it alright if I keep these on?"

"Yeah, that's fine. Whatever you're comfortable with, so are you going to join me?"

Jules looked down into the water below. Hesitantly, she dipped her foot into the water. It was warm, but it wasn't burning. Jules took a deep breath, reaching her arms into the air as she walked into the pond. To her surprise, the water was deep, reaching up to her collar bone. Without letting the water make contact with her hands, Jules slowly swam next to Mave, resting by the edge next to her. 

"What do you think?" Mave questioned.

"It's nice," Jules breathed, gazing at the sky. "It's kind of relaxing. I like it. Do you do this every time you fight?"

"Of course. It heals the body, plus it reminds me of home."

"Do you miss the jungle?" Jules looked back to Mave with a curious expression.

"A little bit. I do miss the battles and the flora of my home. But I have enjoyed my time here. I like battling people with no knowledge of the Wildheart because I get to see their raw expression when I do this." For a split second, Mave's hair turned back into snakes. Jules watched one of the snakes stick it's tongue out to her before transforming back into Mave's hair.

"I still can't get over how amazing that is. How do you do it, exactly?" 

"Simple, I'm a Wildheart. Every generation, the Gods of my home pick the strongest warrior among us and blesses them with the power of the Wildheart. It includes three forms. Harpy, Snake and Shark."

Suddenly, Jules felt something scaly dance close to her knee. Jules looked down to see what had touched her, but the moment she looked down, she only saw something blurry move away from her. Before Jules could react, Mave lifted the lower half of her body to the surface, exposing her shark-shaped tail. Jules gasped, seeing the fins in front of her, shimmering in a mixture of red, purple, pink and blue colours. 

"Your legs." Jules stammered. "You're a mermaid?"

"Yeah, it's one of the three forms. I can swim for miles without breathing a drop of air. I'm pretty fast too. I can swim from Steamy Stacks to Slurpy Swamp in less than ten minutes."

"Impressive. Is it painful? The transformation, I mean." 

"Not really. I don't even notice it half the time. Though, I am upset that I can't lure people with my hypnotic voice. Yet I still find my ways." Mave moved her tail back into the water, her eyes looking into Jules silver ones. "Excluding me, do you know anyone with magic powers?"

Jules bit her lower lip, trying to pick her next words carefully. "Well, we have wizards and witches that perform a vast array of spells. Other than that, nothing. Everything else is just science and technology." She glanced at one of her gloved covered hands. "Well, there's also someone else. My brother, Midas, has golden hands. Everything he touches transforms into gold but don't worry. He has control over it." 

"How does he control it?"

"He holds an object, thinks about changing it and boom, it's now gold. He only loses control when he feels extreme emotions. Luckily that rarely happens, so it's no cause for concern." 

"Fascinating. How did Midas acquire these powers? Did he kill a demon? Or did he complete a quest and the magic was a gift from a God?"

"That's the thing, unlike everyone else were they earned their powers. Midas was born with it. That's why he's named 'Midas' in reference to an ancient king with similar powers. Nobody knows how he got his powers. Our parents didn't have it, and no one could explain it. It's one of those mysteries that's never going to be solved." 

Mave noticed Jules' voice growing softer as she spoke. Mave muttered. "A baby with unexplained magical powers tied to their emotions? That can't have been easy," Curiosity was rising in her voice. "What was it like growing up with a magical sibling?"

"It wasn't easy, especially for my mother," Jules sighed, staring into the night sky again. "I didn't help that when my brother was born, A mysterious group emerged hellbent on kidnapping Midas so they can abuse his golden powers for their personal gain. My parents did their best to protect Midas from them at all cost, but things would go downhill."

"What happened?"

"A couple of months after I was born, the group found us. My father had no choice but to sacrifice himself, so my mum can escape with Midas and me. He died protecting us."

"Jules, I'm so sorry to hear that. He sounds like a good man."

"According to my mother, he was. It upsets me that I never got to know him, but I hope he's happy wherever he is."

"How did they found you?"

Jules glanced at her gloves, taking in a deep breath while her fingers slowly danced around the base of her gloves. She answered. "Rumors were going around that a woman gave birth to a magical baby in a hospital." She started to remove the gloves, one by one. "My brother is the man with the golden touch. Well, I'm the maiden with the silver touch." Mave's eyes widen when she saw Jules' hands. They were silver, from the tip of her fingers to the end of her wrists. The glistened from the light of the water. "My powers are identical to Midas' except for turning things to gold. I turn them to silver."

"Jules," Mave breathed. "They're gorgeous."

Mave watched Jules' blush from her words. Jules clasped her hands together and hid them under the water. "You think so?" She questioned.

"Why, of course, I love how they sparkle in the moonlight. You know, when I first met you, I had a feeling that you were extraordinary. Glad to see I was right."

Jules gave a flustered chuckle, reaching out for her gloves. The moment her hand made contact with the glove, it slowly started to turn silver. In a panic, Jules let go of her glove and placed her hands back into the water. Mave looked at Jules' glove that now had a sliver patch adorning it. 

"Woah," Mave marveled, poking the silver patch of the glove. 

"Yep, that's my magic hands for you," Jules spoke at a rapid pace. "It's why so many of my inventions are silver. It's like a trademark style, I guess." She calmed herself down as Mave looked back at her. 

"It's incredible. You're a silver maiden, and I'm a Wildheart. We're truly two of a kind." 

Jules grinned, relaxing in the water. She beamed. "You know, I didn't know what to expect when we first met. To be honest. I was worried about the duel. I thought I was going to be left battered and bruised."

"Now, why would I hurt someone that called me beautiful?"

"Wait. What? When did I call you beautiful?"

"Earlier today, when you explained that people on Apollo compare beautiful things to flowers."

For the second time that day. Jules could feel her soul leaving her body.


	7. Jules is a useless lesbian

Jules yawed, stretching her hands over her head. She looked out to the night sky while her hands moved to adjust the goggles on her head. Her body shook in reaction to the cold air. Though Jules wanted to stay in the pond longer, she had to get home. She covered her mouth to yawn again while she watched Mave dry off her hair with a towel next to her. 

"You're not going to wear these?" Mave questioned, pointing to the gloves and hair ties poking out of Jules' trouser pockets. 

"I'm good," Jules sighed, counselling another yawn. "I'm going straight to bed the moment I get home, and I'll probably throw the silver glove away." She pushed some hair out of her eyes. "You can't do much with a metal glove. Good thing I have spares for situations like these."

"Shame you have to leave. I was enjoying your company."

"Good things don't last forever. That's why we got to enjoy them for as long as we can," Jules' eyes grew heavy when another yawn escaped her lips. "The sooner I get home, the better."

"Where do you live exactly? Hopefully not too far from here?"

"I live in Retail Row, so yeah, it's pretty far. You know, I wouldn't be surprised if I accidentally fell asleep in the taxi on the way home."

"I can take you home if you want. It'll be quicker than a taxi."

"What are you saying?" Jules questioned with a confused expression on her face, trying to keep her eyes open.

"I mean that I can take you home," Mave answered with a smile. "By the looks of it, you seem like a lightweight, which will be easy for me."

"Sorry, I am completely lost. How can you take me home?"

"Remember earlier in the pond. I mentioned that the Wildheart has three forms. Snake, Shark and Harpy. You've seen Snake and Shark, but can you guess what Harpy is?" 

Jules put a finger to her lips, her exhausted brain slowly thinking for a logical answer. "Let's see, Harpy, Harpy. It sounds familiar," Jules hummed to herself. "Harpy. Oh! Isn't it that creature from Greek mythology where the bird has a women's head?" She looked back to Mave for clarification. Her eyes widen when she saw the sight in front of her. Mave had two gigantic bird wings sticking out of her back. The feathers were coloured pink. "So that's where the feathers came from," Jules murmured in a whisper, still staring at the wings. 

"You like?" Mave smirked, her wings slightly flapping for a quick second.

"Mave, they're incredible," Jules complimented, walking closer to her.

"So, you still want me to take you home?"

Jules suddenly put together what Mave was saying in her head. She squeaked. "Ah! Oh, Mave, you don't have to do that."

"It's ok. I'm as fast in the air as I am in the sea. You'll be home in no time. Plus, I needed to stretch my wings out anyway."

"Well, If it's alright with you, I guess it isn't a problem."

"Great, you ok with being bridal carried?"

Before Jules could react, Mave giggled, picking up Jules with ease, carrying her in a bridal style. Jules grew flustered again. "Hey," Jules squeaked while a small laugh escaped her lips. "Does it have to be bridal style?"

"Well, there's no way you're going on my back. You comfy?"

Jules only answered with a nod of her head, snuggling deeper into Mave's arms.

"Good, then let's fly." Mave held onto Jules tightly. Within seconds they were flying in the air. 

Jules marveled at the sight in front of her. She held onto Mave for dear life while her eyes danced around the night sky that surrounded her. Trusting Mave's grip, Jules reached one of her hands out to the sky, her fingers loosely dancing within the clouds. It was magical. 

"So, which house is yours?" Jules was interrupted by Mave's question. She looked down to see the vast array of houses below her. She was back in Retail Row. Jules looked around before making visual contact with her home.

"There," Jules pointed. "The one with the white roof." She held on tightly as Mave started her descent towards the house. "Hey, is it ok if you drop me off on the balcony?" Jules asked, pointing to the silver balcony, surrounded by flowers.

"Yeah, I can do that for you," Mave answered, slowly reaching for the balcony. 

Before Jules knew it, her and Mave's feet were inches away from the balcony floor. Taking her time, Jules let go of Mave and jumped to the ground. She turned around to see Mave gently touch the bottom with her boots. The moment she made contact, her wings disappeared in a glittery smoke. 

"Nice place you got here," Mave grinned, her eyes looking around the balcony and through the glass doors. Jules smiled at the compliment while she unlocked the door in front of her. 

Jules stepped inside her bedroom. It was dark, only being briefly illuminated by the moonlight. The only sound heard was the mechanical snores from Ohm. He was sleeping on his perch. "Oh, Ohm," Jules whispered sweetly. She quietly dashed over to her friend, gently stroking the top of his head. "I'm here, buddy. Sorry if I made you worry about me." Ohm snored louder, which caused Jules to chuckle under her breath. She looked up to see Mave leaning by the door frame. "Thanks for taking me home, Mave. I hope I can repay you."

"It's no problem," Mave reassured her in a quiet tone. "I glad we were able to spend some time together." 

"Me too. Again, I'm sorry if I acted like an awkward mess. I'm not usually like that."

"It's alright. You weren't awkward at all. I liked seeing how excited you got when I showed off my powers or talked about my home. Not to mention the flirting about how I was as beautiful as a rose."

Jules blushed, brushing the hair out of her eyes. "I panicked. I wanted to make a good impression. Have you ever flirted with someone?"

"Yes, for example, I've flirted with you."

"What? You've never flirted with me."

"What do you mean? I've been flirting with you all day."

"You-you have?"

"Yes. You didn't notice?"

"Oh," Jules' eyes widen, looking back on the day with Mave, recounting everything she's said to her. A laugh escaped her lips while she covered her mouth with her hands. "Oh, my goodness. I can't believe myself, I have silver hands, yet I'm as dense as gold." Mave laughed along with Jules, following her comment. 

"You're quite the character, Jules," Mave remarked, turning away and walking towards the edge of the balcony. "I hope our paths cross again."

Jules could feel her heart beating faster. She bit her lower lip, and her hands clasped together. They were both nervous and excited over what they wanted to say. She listened to her heart. "Mave, wait." 

Mave turned around, looking back at Jules. "Yes, Jules?" Mave questioned in her familiar soft voice. 

"Do you want to hang out again soon? I could take you someplace to eat, or I could show you around the Apollo landmarks if you like, maybe get something to eat together." Jules watched with intensity, waiting to see Mave's response.

"Jules," Mave began, never looking away from her. "I would love to hang out with you. We could arrange something tomorrow if you like."

"Sounds perfect. I can't wait."

"Oh, and Jules. If you ever want to visit, I'm always in Hunter's Haven. If I'm not there, I'm probably by the shipwrecks near Catty Corner."

"I'll keep that noted."

"You know Jules. You look breathtaking with your hair loose. Goodnight." And with that, Mave jumped over the balcony, her wings appearing from behind in a flash of glittery smoke. She flew up into the sky and straight towards the clouds. 

Jules stood there motionless for a second, taking in Mave's words. She watched as Mave's feathers slowly danced towards the floor. Once Jules finally registered what Mave said to her, she shook her head with a flustered squeak. Jules walked to the balcony to close the doors, but not before stopping to pick up one of Mave's feathers. She stared intently at the feather, watching the moonlight reflect off the pink feather and her silver hand in a mystical hue. A smile grew on her face. They yawned as she walked over to her wardrobe to get dressed for the night. Jules had a feeling she was going to have a peaceful night.


End file.
